Ash-sifter.



Patented luly 23, |90I.

J.v F. BIRCH, 1n.

' ASH SIFTER. Y (Appucmon men sept. e, 1900.) A

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

Patented July 23, 190i. J. lF. BlRcH, 1n.

ASH SIFTEB.

(Application led Sept. 6, 1900.)

3 Sheets Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

5mm/woz me Nmus persas co. wmouma. wnsnnqoon, o, c.

No. 673,932. Patented my 23, |901.. .1. F. BIRCH, 1n.

ASH SIFTEB.

(Application med sept. c, 19oo.) (No Model.)v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

@f ^MM f UNITED STATES ATENT FFTCE;

JOSEPH F. BIRCI-I, JR., OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ASH-SIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 678,932, dated July 23, 1901.

Application filed September 6, 1900. Serial No. 29,224. (No model.)

To all whom, it may con/cern:A

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. BIRCH, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ash-Sifters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable oth-v ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in sifters, more especially for sifting coal-cinders.

In use my sifter effects the ready and thorough remova1,with the minimum expenditure of eEort, labor, and time, of the ashes, &c., from the cinders or coal, such removal being aided by the cleansing and buoyant action of a confined body of water, having the effect also to precipitate the ashes and other light substances, thus suppressing or avoiding all dust or flying particles. The invention is also characteristic for simplicity, cheapness "of manufacture, and expedition of operation.

It consists, generally stated, of a pivoted or hinged sifter proper, which may be areticulated or wire vessel or basket, adapted to receive the agglomorate mass of burned coal and ashes as removed from the furnace or stove, directly or otherwise, as usually practiced, and of a water and ash receiving receptacle, said vessel or basket adapted to be oscillated or quickly moved up and down, but wholly out of contact with said receptacle, all substantially as hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure l is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a side view with the sifter proper shown in dotted lines tilted, as in removing or dumping its contents. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective View of said sifter proper. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the apparatus with the pivoted or hinged supplemental receptacle shown tilted, into which is dumped and contained temporarily the contents of the sifter proper after cleaning. Fig. 6 is a side view of a modiiication which will be fully described later on. Fig. -7 is a sectional view showing the spring-actuated bolt.

Latitude is allowed herein as to details, as they may be changed at will without departing from the spirit of my invention and the same yet remain intact and be protected.

In carrying out my invention I suitably mount or secure upon legs or other means serving in that capacity a receptacle l, watertight and adapted to contain a quantity of water and to receive the ashes or screenings. The sifter proper, 2, as above intimated, may be a reticulated or wire vessel or basket having, preferably, inward-sloping ends, and to said basket or vessel, along its upper longitudinal or side edges, are suitably fastened parallel bars or pieces 3, with their rear end portions suitably projecting beyond said basket or vessel and the receptacle l and adapted to rest upon said receptacle and to form handies 3L for the convenient grasping of the same and manipulating of the sifter', as presently more fully made apparent. These bars have their opposite end portions also pro,- jecting beyond the basket or sifter and said receptacle and adapted to rest upon said receptacle and `to provide for the pivoting or hinging thereof, as at 4, preferably to pieces or bars 4, secured to the forward end of said receptacle upon the outside, said ends of said bars, together with the sifter, thus being adapted to wholly clear the opposite end of the receptacle in tilting the sifter to provide for the proper dumping of its contents beyond said receptacle. It Will also be seen that by means of this arrangement the sifter proper is pivoted or hinged in position and that the sifter is operated by grasping the handles 3a and oscillating or imparting a slight'up-and-down movement to the sifter, but wholly out of contact with the receptacle, whereby, together with the movement of the sifter or its lower portion through the water in said receptacle, the contents of the sifter will be gently agitated and the ashes be held temporarily in suspension by the buoyant action of the Water, loosening up the ashes, dto., and permitting the ready removal and precipitation thereof, thus thoroughly cleaning the cinders and suppressing or avoiding all dust or flying particles.

At one end of the receptacle 1 is arranged a supplemental receptacle 5, being supported, preferably, upon bars or a frame 5a, fastened IOO to .the sides of the former, with its discharging end portion suitably pivoted or hinged to one ot said bars, as at 6, to permit the ready tilting thereof as required to discharge the cleaned cinders dumped thereinto from the sitter, as will readily be appreciated, the cleaned cinders being delivered or dumped from said box into a hod or other vessel.

The water-receptacle lis provided with an overflow outlet or pipe 7, suitably applied at one end thereto, while the supplemental receptacle 5 has a drain pipe or outlet 8 in its bottom near the back end, said additional receptacle being inclined toward that end. It is also observed that the overiiow pipe or outlet 7 of the water-receptacle is adapted to discharge into the additional receptacle, thus providing for passing off all overflow Water and drippings from the cleaned cinders finally out through a common outlet,where the same are received into a bucket or pail suitably disposed with relation to the discharge 8.

It will be observed that what may be termed a splash-board lO is suitably secured Within the receptacle l at its rear end to guard against the splashing of the Water in said rethe water, dac., receptacle.

ceptacle out upon the operator or the iloor when manipulating the sitter. It will also be observed that the sitter instead of being Wholly of Wire or reticulated may be provided with imperforate sides, as ot wood, dac., and the Wire bottom may be circular or rounded.

A spring-actuated catch or bolt Il is applied to the handled side bars, adapted to engage any one of a number or plurality of perforations 11a, produced in the imperforate side of the sitter, to cause the sitter to maintain the saine relative position to said haudled bars when lifting the latter with the sitter to dump the contents of said sitter.

In the modification as disclosed by Fig. 6 the sitter proper, 2, may preferably`T be circular at its bottom and be hinged or pivoted, as at 9, in a line passing therethrough above its center ot gravity and have its pivots or trunnions 9 engaging eye-castings 9X, secured to handled side bars 3, pivoted or hinged to One of said lpivots or trunnions may be adapted to have a handle or crank 9b applied thereto, by grasping which the sitter may be readily oscillated or moved back and forth in an arc to effect the cleaning ot the contents of the sitter.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a sitter ot the character described, the combination with a Water-receptacle, of a sitter proper adapted tobe lowered into said receptacle to a point above its load, said sitter depending from longitudinal bars hinged to one side of said Water-receptacle and extending beyond the opposite side of the receptacle, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a sitter of the character described, the combination of a water-receptacle adapted to contain water, a sitter, proper, having handled bars adapted to engage said receptacle, and pivoted or hinged to said receptacle at their forward ends, and a supplemental receptacle pivoted or hinged upon a support secured to said water-receptacle, substantially as set forth.

3. In a sitter of the character described, the combination ot a Water-receptacle adapted to contain water, a sitter, proper, having handled bars adapted to rest upon the upper edge ot said receptacle and pivoted or hinged to said receptacle at their forward ends, and a supplemental receptacle hinged or pivoted upon su pports secured to said water-receptacle, and having a drip outlet or pipe, said Water-receptacle having an overflow pipe or outlet, adapted to discharge into said supplemental receptacle, substantially as set forth.

4. In a sitter of the character described, the combination, with a water-receptacle, ot a sitter proper having longitudinal bars pivoted to the forward end of said receptacle, and a supplemental receptacle hinged or pivoted to tilt at a right angle to the waterreceptacle, said supplemental receptacle being located at the forward end of the waterreceptacle and supported from said receptacle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOS. F. BIRCH, JR.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. RoBERTs, U. PERRY HAHN. 

